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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What element does the narrator name when stating what Delia brought to her marriage?

2. What is the last name of the protagonist featured in the story entitled "The Back Room"?

3. Where does Delia hide when she flees from the snake she encounters in the house in "Sweat"?

4. Which character promises to secure a steady job for Pinkie when she expresses the desire to get one?

5. To whom does the house belong where the magnificent party in "The Back Room" takes place?

Short Essay Questions

1. The story "Monkey Junk" utilizes diction and language associated with which text?

2. What sort of reaction do females of all ages have to Mandolin once he reaches New York City?

3. In what way is foreshadowing associated with the portrait featured in the story "The Back Room"?

4. What is Hurston's message regarding the phenomenon of May-December marriages in the story entitled "Under the Bridge"?

5. The story entitled "Book of Harlem," not to be confused with the story "The Book of Harlem," focuses on what kind of journey?

6. In what way does Hurston elicit compassion for Daisy Taylor's plight in the story called "The Eatonville Anthology"?

7. Who offers to secure a job for Pinkie, and what is the outcome of that offer?

8. How many entries are included in "The Eatonville Anthology" and in what form is the story presented?

9. Who is Panic?

10. How does Muttsy make his living in the story named after him in Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what way does Hurston utilize irony within the text? Discuss at least three uses of irony within Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick and explore each instance's connection to larger themes contained within the piece.

Essay Topic 2

Examine the role of family within the text Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick. What types of family relationships are represented and how does Hurston use their variety to inform many of the stories’ themes?

Essay Topic 3

What is Hurston's message about the relationship between poverty and racism within the collection Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick?

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